The CHILD Act of 2025 expands who can request background checks to protect vulnerable populations. Right now, organizations that work with children or other vulnerable people can only request background checks for their direct employees. This law changes that by allowing these organizations to also request background checks for contractors and subcontractors who work with vulnerable populations, as well as for people they license or certify to provide care.

In practical terms, this means if a daycare center hires a cleaning company, they can now request a background check on the cleaning company's employees. Similarly, if a hospital certifies nurses or other care providers, they can request background checks on those individuals before certification. The law also covers volunteers and people seeking to volunteer with organizations that have contracts with these qualified entities.

The main impact is that organizations serving vulnerable populations get more tools to screen people who might have contact with the people they serve, even if those people aren't direct employees. This is intended to create an additional layer of safety by allowing background checks to extend to the broader network of people working around vulnerable populations, not just those directly hired by the organization.